St. Johns, Portland, Oregon
Encyclopedia
St. Johns is a neighborhood of Portland, Oregon
, United States
located in North Portland on the tip of the peninsula formed by the confluence of the Willamette River
and the Columbia River
.
St. Johns is named in honor of settler James Johns, who laid out the original eight block town site in 1865. He reportedly was a recluse
, which inspired the population to address him as "Saint
" Johns. The site eventually became a rival to other Willamette River townsites vying to become the Head of Navigation on the upper Willamette. St. Johns was originally a separate incorporated city and was annexed by Portland in 1915.
St. Johns is bordered by the Columbia River (separating it from Hayden Island
) to the northeast, the Willamette River (separating it from Sauvie Island
and Linnton
) to the northwest, the North Portland railroad cut
(separating it from the University Park
, Portsmouth
, and Kenton
neighborhoods) to the southeast, as well as the Cathedral Park
neighborhood to the southwest. The main business district of St. Johns (referred to as "Downtown St. Johns") is around the intersection of Lombard and Philadelphia Streets.
The St. Johns Bridge
is named after the neighborhood, though now it is actually considered to connect to the neighborhood of Cathedral Park and not the St. Johns neighborhood itself. The bridge is host to a pair of breeding Peregrine Falcon
s.
St. Johns has historically been a blue collar neighborhood. It is known for its diverse citizens and its slowly changing appearance. According to 2010 statistics the neighborhood is 60% non-white. http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/real-estate/articles/neighborhoods-by-the-numbers/ It is a community containing Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders and is considered to be one of the city's more diverse neighborhoods. http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=65700 With 23% of the residents in the 97203 zip code (St. Johns Zip Code) living at or below the poverty line, it's one of the city's poorest neighborhoods. http://www.city-data.com/zips/97203.html
Citizens of all types converge weekly at the St. Johns Farmers Market which takes place at the St. Johns plaza at the corner of N Lombard and N Philadelphia streets. Held every Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm from June 4th to October 15th, it is an organic community focus.
(1984), Pier Park
(1959), the Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area
(1961), not to mention the spectacular Forest Park. Upon entering St. John's there is a conspicuously placed sign in the traffic median. The sign says, "Welcome to the Peninsula, Gateway to Nature". Sightings of Bald Eagles and other birds of prey are common.
.
45.61259°N 122.76287°W
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
located in North Portland on the tip of the peninsula formed by the confluence of the Willamette River
Willamette River
The Willamette River is a major tributary of the Columbia River, accounting for 12 to 15 percent of the Columbia's flow. The Willamette's main stem is long, lying entirely in northwestern Oregon in the United States...
and the Columbia River
Columbia River
The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. The river rises in the Rocky Mountains of British Columbia, Canada, flows northwest and then south into the U.S. state of Washington, then turns west to form most of the border between Washington and the state...
.
St. Johns is named in honor of settler James Johns, who laid out the original eight block town site in 1865. He reportedly was a recluse
Recluse
A recluse is a person who lives in voluntary seclusion from the public and society, often close to nature. The word is from the Latin recludere, which means "shut up" or "sequester." There are many potential reasons for becoming a recluse: a personal philosophy that rejects consumer society; a...
, which inspired the population to address him as "Saint
Saint
A saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
" Johns. The site eventually became a rival to other Willamette River townsites vying to become the Head of Navigation on the upper Willamette. St. Johns was originally a separate incorporated city and was annexed by Portland in 1915.
Hayden Island, Portland, Oregon
Hayden Island is an island in the Columbia River between Vancouver, Washington and Portland, Oregon. The wide main channel of the Columbia passes north of the island. To the south, sheltered by the island, is a smaller channel known as North Portland Harbor...
) to the northeast, the Willamette River (separating it from Sauvie Island
Sauvie Island
Sauvie Island, in the U.S. state of Oregon, originally Wapato Island or Wappatoo Island, is the largest island along the Columbia River, at 26,000 acres , and the largest river island in the United States...
and Linnton
Linnton, Portland, Oregon
Linnton is a Portland, Oregon neighborhood located between Forest Park and the Willamette River along U.S. Route 30 , close to the agricultural community of Sauvie Island. It borders the neighborhoods of Northwest Industrial on the south, St. Johns and Cathedral Park via the St...
) to the northwest, the North Portland railroad cut
Cut (earthmoving)
In civil engineering, a cut or cutting is where soil or rock material from a hill or mountain is cut out to make way for a canal, road or railway line....
(separating it from the University Park
University Park, Portland, Oregon
University Park is a neighborhood in the north section of Portland, Oregon on the east shore of the Willamette River.* Acreage: 11.26* Acquired in 1953...
, Portsmouth
Portsmouth, Portland, Oregon
Portsmouth is a neighborhood in the North section of Portland, Oregon. It is named for Portsmouth Avenue, a major street in the district. It is bordered by Lombard Street to the South, Chautauqua Boulevard to the East, Columbia Boulevard to the North, and the Burlington Northern Railway to the...
, and Kenton
Kenton, Portland, Oregon
Kenton is a neighborhood in the north section of Portland, Oregon, United States. The neighborhood was originally a company town founded in 1911 for the Swift Meat Packing Company.-Geography:...
neighborhoods) to the southeast, as well as the Cathedral Park
Cathedral Park, Portland, Oregon
Cathedral Park is a both a park and a neighborhood in the North section of Portland, Oregon on the east shore of the Willamette River.-Neighborhood:...
neighborhood to the southwest. The main business district of St. Johns (referred to as "Downtown St. Johns") is around the intersection of Lombard and Philadelphia Streets.
The St. Johns Bridge
St. Johns Bridge
The St. Johns Bridge is a steel suspension bridge that spans the Willamette River in Portland, Oregon, USA, between the St. Johns neighborhood and the northwest industrial area around Linnton. It is the only suspension bridge in the Willamette Valley and one of three public highway suspension...
is named after the neighborhood, though now it is actually considered to connect to the neighborhood of Cathedral Park and not the St. Johns neighborhood itself. The bridge is host to a pair of breeding Peregrine Falcon
Peregrine Falcon
The Peregrine Falcon , also known as the Peregrine, and historically as the Duck Hawk in North America, is a widespread bird of prey in the family Falconidae. A large, crow-sized falcon, it has a blue-gray back, barred white underparts, and a black head and "moustache"...
s.
St. Johns has historically been a blue collar neighborhood. It is known for its diverse citizens and its slowly changing appearance. According to 2010 statistics the neighborhood is 60% non-white. http://www.portlandmonthlymag.com/real-estate/articles/neighborhoods-by-the-numbers/ It is a community containing Whites, Blacks, Hispanics, Asians, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders and is considered to be one of the city's more diverse neighborhoods. http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=65700 With 23% of the residents in the 97203 zip code (St. Johns Zip Code) living at or below the poverty line, it's one of the city's poorest neighborhoods. http://www.city-data.com/zips/97203.html
Citizens of all types converge weekly at the St. Johns Farmers Market which takes place at the St. Johns plaza at the corner of N Lombard and N Philadelphia streets. Held every Saturday from 9 am to 2 pm from June 4th to October 15th, it is an organic community focus.
Natural areas
St. Johns and North Portland are known for their proximity to natural habitats. There are many parks and natural areas in St. Johns, including Cathedral Park, Baltimore Woods, Willamette Cove, Pier Park, the Columbia Slough, Kelley Point ParkKelley Point Park
Kelley Point Park is a city park in north Portland in the U.S. state of Oregon. Bounded by the Columbia Slough on the south, the Willamette River on the west, and the Columbia River on the north, the park forms the tip of the peninsula at the confluence of the rivers...
(1984), Pier Park
Pier Park
Pier Park is a municipal park in Portland, Oregon, U.S. It is in the North Portland neighborhood of St. Johns and is bordered by North Columbia Blvd. and characterized by evergreen forest...
(1959), the Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area
Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area
Smith and Bybee Wetlands Natural Area is a public park and nature reserve between the Columbia Slough and the Columbia River in Portland, Oregon. At about , it is one of the largest urban freshwater wetlands in the United States. Metro, the regional government for the Oregon part of the Portland...
(1961), not to mention the spectacular Forest Park. Upon entering St. John's there is a conspicuously placed sign in the traffic median. The sign says, "Welcome to the Peninsula, Gateway to Nature". Sightings of Bald Eagles and other birds of prey are common.
Industry
The Downtown business core of St. Johns consists primarily of boutique shops and individually-owned and operated restaurants including two theater pubs. The northern portion of the neighborhood gives way to a vast industrial landscape of huge warehouses, parking lots, cargo, and shipping facilities, including the 11 km² Rivergate Industrial District of the Port of PortlandPort of Portland (Oregon)
The Port of Portland is the port district responsible for overseeing Portland International Airport, general aviation, and marine activities in the Portland, Oregon metropolitan area in the United States....
.
External links
45.61259°N 122.76287°W